1974 Hatteras 53' _{(16.15 m)} 53 Motor Yacht

"Assisted Living" is a 1974 Hatteras 53 that has been well maintained for her age. Without doubt...these vessels make great liveaboards and long distance cruisers that will take you almost anywhere you desire. However, this vessel is special in the sense that she can go easily where other Hatteras 53 cannot OR she makes going where you want to go easier and faster! How so? Your average Hatteras 53 has a flybridge with a bridge clearance of at least 21ft 6 inches or more depending on what you have mounted on top, but "Assisted Living" has a bridge clearance of 16 feet according to the vessels owner. This means you can get under fixed bridges that most larger vessels cannot get past or to that cozy anchorage that other vessels cannot reach. Additionally, you may not have to wait for a bridge opening that other large vessels have to wait for...you just motor on through! Finally, many people may think they want a flybridge, but you must remember that it comes with a cost...think double the electronics, more maintenance, higher purchase price, etc. If you are primarily a liveaboard at dock or anchor or even a "Great Looper" facing a lot of bridges, then this vessel actually may make a lot of sense.

The PowerBoat Guide has this to say:

Some designs succeed so well in the marketplace that they earn the distinction of being industry classics. Such a boat is the Hatteras 53 MY, a still-popular cruising yacht whose comfortable ride and generous accommodations were seldom equaled by other cruising yachts of her era. Two decades in production, the Hatteras 53 MY quickly became the standard by which other motor yachts her size were measured. Her bi-level, three-stateroom, three-head floorplan is considered ideal in a motor yacht of this size, and the split enginerooms soon became a Hatteras trademark. With 350 built, resale values for clean, well-equipped Hatteras 53 MYs remain strong in all markets.